July 25 (Reuters) - Canadian union Unifor said on Sunday
about 900 workers had started strike action at global miner Rio
Tinto's operations in the western Canadian province of
British Columbia.
Unifor issued a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday after
nearly seven weeks of unproductive talks over proposed changes
to workers' retirement benefits and unresolved grievances.
"Rio Tinto was given every opportunity to reach a fair deal
but showed complete disregard for our issues," the union said in
a statement.
The union represents about 900 workers at the miner's
aluminium smelting plant in Kitimat and power generating
facility in Kemano.
Unifor said it was committed to resolving the labour dispute
amicably and urged the mining company's management to reach a
fair settlement.
Rio had earlier sought an order from the province's labour
relations board declaring power plant workers essential,
according to a union bulletin.
(Reporting by Rithika Krishna in Bengaluru and Jeff Lewis in
Toronto Additional reporting by Radhika Anilkumar
Editing by Mark Potter)
Rio Tinto (RIO)
